The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-02
The Use Of Ether.
DOCTOR AGNEw's VALUABLE ooNTRiBu
rIoN TO MEDICAL soIENCE.

TlON TO MEDICAL sClkNCE.
In an article published in q late issue
of the Medical Ne,os. DR.. D. Hayes
Agnew gives an explanation of the
case of Melville r. Dill, who died un-
der the influence of ether in the Bing-
ham house, Philadelphia, August 5
last. DR.. Agnew, assisted by DIR.
White administered the ether prepare.
tory to the excision of two ulcerating
hemorrhoids.
Examination revealed, DR.. Agnew
says, no ascertaipsble reasons why an
anasthetic should not be given, as
neither the heart nor kidneys were
diseased, and the patient appeared to
be in good health. Then the admins
tration of the an esthetic is described,
the discovery of the cessation of res.
pirati,n, and the means employed, in
tffectually to restore it. DR.. Agnew
further says:
'sThe post-mortem made by DR.
Formal revealed complete collapse of
the lungs, marked traces of an old
MENINGITIS, attributed to former sun
stroke, and what satisfactorily explain.
ed the sudden termination of life, the
rupture of calciied vessel in the
four Of the fourth v-ntricle, the recog-
nized physiological centre of respira-
tion, all the vessels comprising the
circle of Willis were iD similar state
of atheromatous degeneration. 1t was
evident, therefore, that the increased
vascal tension of these cerebral vessels,
caused by the ether, determined the
lesion, a result which might have fol
lowed any unusual excitement mental
or physical. The heart and kidnrys
were healthy.
"Tbe question naturally occurs,
could this sad disaster have been pre-
ventedf Certainly, in view of all the
circumstances, it could not. First.
The ether was that known as Squibb's.
The can contained eight ounces, two
ounces remained In the vessel two
ounces, it is fair to suppose, had been
retained in the folds of the towel, leav-
ing four ounces, or, at most, less than
five ounces which had been inhaled.
.cond. There was sufficient ad-
mixture of atmospheric air with the re-
spited vapor, as the anesthetic was ad-
ministered from an ordinary towel
folded into a cone and with an open
ing at the apex. Third. The position
of the administrator, DIR Whit, that
of reclining alongside Of the patient
with the face of the latter in full view,
would have enabled him to detect at
once any signs of approaching danger,
which, from his long experience in
giving auasthetics, would have been
quickly recognized; and last, the i'm
possibility of being able to ascertain
during life the state of the blood yes-
sells Of the brain disclosed by the
autopsy, and rendered very improbable
in a man of 45 years of age.
"After forty years of surgical work,
often, too, of the gravest character,
and sometimes requiring prolonged
anesthesia, without an accident in q
single instance, / had come 10 believe
that the exhibition of ether, unless
recklessly administered, was entirely
free from danger. Several deaths, I
am aware, have been reported from
time to time from its use, even in thu
hands of the most careful operators,
but never could divest my mind of
the idea that in these cases there was
some undeteoted element involved more
influential in the issue than the ether,
a. in the present instance"
In conclusion DR.. Agnew relates the
case of patient, female about 70
years of age, suffering from strangulat-
ed hernia. Her pulse was quite good
and there were no sighs of collapse.
The pupils we're much contracted from
administration of opium. While the
doctor was reaching foI the ether hot
tie, the patient gave a convulsive
movement and elected large amount
of stercorsoeous matter from the stom
ach and expired in a moment.
"Had the etherizstion been COM
meucsd," the doctor concludes, "or the
operation begun before the death of
the woman, the fatal result would
have been charged either to the
anesthetic or to the knife"